Week 10 - Fractures Flashcards
what is a fracture
- a disruption or break in continuity of the structure of bone
what are most fractures caused by? what is another cause
- traumatic injuries
- may secondary to disease processes
what are 2 diseases that may cause fractures
- cancer
- osteoporosis
what are 4 ways fractures of classified
- external enviro
- complete or incomplete
- based on direction of fracture line
- displaced or nondisplaced
what 2 types of fractures are classified based on external envuro
- open
- closed
what is an open fracture
- fracture that has direct exposure to the external enviro
ie. pokes thru the skin
what is a closed fracture
- one that does not have exposure to the external enviro
what is a complete fracture
- where the bone breaks completely
what is an incomplete fracture
- where the bone bends & cracks, but does not break all the way through
who might incomplete fractures be more common in
- children who still have softer bones
what is another name for an incomplete fracture
- greenstick
what is an oblique fracture? how is it classified
- fracture that is diagonal
- based on direction of fracture line
what is a transverse fracture? how is it classified?
- fracture that occurs horizontally
- based on direction of fracture line
what is a displaced fracture
- when the bone breaks into 2 or more pieces & moves out of alignment
what is a nondisplaced fracture
- the bone breaks but does not move out of alignment
what is a communited fracture
- when the bone breaks into several fragments
what is a spiral fracture
-fracture due to a twisting force
what is a segmented fracture
- same bone is fractured in 2 places
= floating segment of bone between the two breaks
what is an impacted fracture
- when broken ends of bone are jammed together
what is a pathological fracture
fracture caused by disease such as cancer or osteoporosis
what is a colles fracture
- fracture of the head of the radius
what causes a colles fracture
- someone falling on their wrist
what is a potts fracture
- fracture of the ankle distal-fibula
what are the signs of a fracture (4)
- immediate localized pain
- decreased function
- inability to bear weight on or use affected part
- pt gaurds & protects extremitity
describe the healing of fractures
- most heal without complication
how can a fracture cause death (2)
- due to damage to underlying organs & vascular structures = go into shock
- complication of fracture or immobility
what are two categories of fracture complications
- direct
- indirect
what are direct complications of fracture (4)
- problems w bone infection
- complication w bone union
- avascular necrosis
- damage of epiphyseal plate in children
what causes a bone infection? what is bone infection called
- open fracture
- called osteomylitis
what complication w bone union can occur with a fracture
- if the bone does not align properly during healing
what is avascular necrosis
- bone fractures & dies (becomes necrotic)
= deformity & loss of limb
describe what occurs with damage of the epiphyseal plate in children
- damage can occur if there is a fracture in a long bone before a child has reached their full height
= damage growth plate
= plate prematurely ossified = stop growing in length = physical deformity
what do indirect complications of fractures involve
- blood vessel and nerve damage
what specific blood vessel & nerve damage can a fracture cause
- compartment syndrome
- DVT
- fat embolism
- traumatic or hypovolemic shock
what is compartment syndrome
- develops when a fracture causes increased P in one of the body’s compartments
= restricted blood flow to the tissue within & distal to it
describe assessment of compartment syndrom
look for the 5 Ps
- pallor
- pain
- pulse
- paralysis
- paraesthesia
how can a fracture cause DVT
- due to immobility
- can disrupt venous blood supply
how can a fracture cause a fat embolism
- fatty bone marrow can embolize
how can a fracture cause traumatic or hypovolemic shock
- due to internal or external bleeding
what does compartment syndrome often affect (2)
- arms
- legs
what often causes compartment syndrome
- trauma (fracture or crushing injury)
what subjective data might indicate compartment syndrome
- if the pt complains of intense pain
- and the limb “feeling tight”
what must happen to relive compartment syndrome? what happens if we dont do it?
- must relieve the pressure
- pt could get necrosis
how urgent is compartment syndrome
medical emergency!!!!!!!
